Best Cities in Michigan to Form Your LLC

If you want to start an LLC in Michigan, have you considered basing it in Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids or Southfield? If so, read on to get the necessary information.

Starting an LLC in Detroit, MI

Known as “Motor City,” Detroit is the largest city in Michigan. The city is a major port on the Detroit River and the three big American car manufacturers (Ford, General Motors and Chrysler) are all headquartered here. Detroit went through difficult times from the 1990s into the 2010s and filed for bankruptcy in 2013. Since then, the city has been working hard to reinvigorate itself and is again becoming a good place to start a new business.

• Area of city: 143 sq mi
• Population: 673,000
• Population density: 5,000 people/sq mi
• Cost of living: 5 percent below national average; housing is 12 percent cheaper
• Time zone: EST
• Sales tax: 6 percent

Although most famous for the automobile industry, Detroit is also home to several other major economic sectors. These include finance and banking, life sciences, information technology, advanced manufacturing, architecture and engineering.

Starting an LLC in Ann Arbor, MI

The sixth-largest city in the state, Ann Arbor is home to the University of Michigan, a major research center and medical facility. The city is perhaps best known for political activism and social movements.

• Area of city: 29 sq mi
• Population: 121,000
• Population density: 4,000 people/sq mi
• Cost of living: 4 percent above national average; housing is 18 percent more expensive
• Time zone: EST
• Sales tax: 6 percent

Major Industries in Ann Arbor

The major shaper of Ann Arbor’s economy is the University of Michigan, especially in the fields of medicine and research. Biotechnology, high tech industries, software, media and biotechnology are all well represented in the city.

Starting an LLC in Grand Rapids, MI

Grand Rapids is the second-largest city in Michigan and the largest city in Western Michigan. Known as “Furniture City,” Grand Rapids is home to five of the largest furniture manufacturers in the world.

• Area of city: 45 sq mi
• Population: 196,000
• Population density: 4,200 people/sq mi
• Cost of living: 10 percent below national average; housing is 19 percent cheaper
• Time zone: EST
• Sales tax: 6 percent

Major Industries in Grand Rapids

Major industries in Grand Rapids include furniture manufacturing, healthcare, technology, automotive, aviation, consumer goods manufacturing and fruit production.

Starting an LLC in Southfield, MI

Southfield is a northern suburb of Detroit. The city is known for the “Golden Triangle,” a cluster of five golden skyscrapers that are part of Metro Detroit's upscale office market.

• Area of city: 26 sq mi
• Population: 73,000
• Population density: 2,700 people/sq mi
• Time zone: EST
• Sales tax: 6 percent

Major Industries in Southfield

More than 100 Fortune 500 companies have offices in Southfield, and it supports a wide range of diverse industries.

Ready to Start your Michigan LLC?

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